Robotic pallet-emptying and magazine-loading apparatus

Abstract

Examples of a robotic de-palletizer and a robotic magazine loader are described herein. The robotic de-palletizer is configured to remove cases (e.g. HSC (half slotted cases) filled with product (e.g. disassembled cartons)) and to place the HSC on one or more conveyors. The conveyor(s) move the full HSC from the “de-palletizing” area to a magazine-loading area for processing by a robotic magazine loader. In one example of the robotic magazine loader, HSC containing unassembled cartons are removed from the conveyor. The contents of the HSC are added to a magazine feeding a carton assembling and filling machinery and the empty HSC is conveyed to a discard location.

1. A method of loading product into a magazine, comprising:
 advancing a paddle follower to track a trailing product item in the magazine, wherein the product is advanced into a consuming device by the magazine; 
 applying sufficient pressure against the trailing product item, with the paddle follower, to keep the trailing product item upright and leaning in a direction of product movement; 
 tracking movement of the paddle follower with a first encoder; 
 tracking movement of the magazine with a second encoder; 
 advancing the paddle follower synchronously with the second encoder as product is consumed; 
 moving an EOAT (end of arm tool), carrying additional product to be loaded into the magazine, synchronously with the paddle follower according to the first encoder prior to retraction of the paddle follower; 
 retracting the paddle follower from the trailing product item; 
 moving the EOAT synchronously with the magazine according to the second encoder after retraction of the paddle follower; 
 loading the additional product into the magazine with an EOAT; and 
 advancing the paddle follower to contact a new trailing product item. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising sensing the new trailing product item with at least one sensor carried by the paddle follower and in response switching the paddle follower to a mode of operation wherein the paddle follower moves in response to the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising
 elevating the EOAT to contact only an upper portion of the product loaded to the magazine; and 
 tilting product delivered to the magazine to an angle to match product already in the magazine. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising moving, using the EOAT, a case originally containing the product loaded to the magazine to a waste receiving area. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising switching the paddle follower from a first mode, wherein the paddle follower is advanced until contact is made by a sensor on the paddle follower, to a second mode, wherein the paddle follower advances synchronously with the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine, wherein the mode switch is made upon contact is made by the sensor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein loading the additional product into the magazine with the EOAT comprises moving the EOAT directly behind existing product on the magazine within an area between the paddle follower after retraction and the product on the magazine. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising synchronizing the paddle follower with the second encoder, in response to detection of the trailing product item by sensors on the paddle follower, to cause the paddle follower to move synchronously with the magazine. 
     
     
       8. A method of loading product into a magazine, comprising:
 advancing a paddle follower to apply pressure on a trailing product item in the magazine, to keep the trailing product item upright and leaning in a direction of product movement, the advancing directed to move the product into a consuming device; 
 tracking movement of the paddle follower with a first encoder; 
 tracking movement of the magazine with a second encoder; 
 advancing the paddle follower synchronously with the second encoder as product is consumed; 
 moving an EOAT (end of arm tool), carrying additional product to be loaded into the magazine, synchronously with the paddle follower according to the first encoder prior to retraction of the paddle follower; 
 retracting the paddle follower from the trailing product item; 
 moving the EOAT synchronously with the magazine according to the second encoder after retraction of the paddle follower; 
 loading the additional product into the magazine with an EOAT; and 
 advancing the paddle follower to contact a new trailing product item. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , additionally comprising sensing the new trailing product item with at least one sensor carried by the paddle follower and in response switching the paddle follower to a mode of operation wherein the paddle follower moves in response to the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , additionally comprising
 elevating the EOAT to contact only an upper portion of the product loaded to the magazine; and 
 tilting product delivered to the magazine to an angle to match product already in the magazine. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , additionally comprising moving a case originally containing the product loaded to the magazine to a waste receiving area. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , additionally comprising switching the paddle follower from a first mode, wherein the paddle follower is advanced until contact is made by a sensor on the paddle follower, to a second mode, wherein the paddle follower advances synchronously with the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine, wherein the mode switch is made upon contact is made by the sensor. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein loading the additional product into the magazine with an EOAT comprises moving the EOAT directly behind existing product on the magazine within an area between the paddle follower after retraction and the product on the magazine. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , additionally comprising synchronizing the paddle follower with the second encoder, in response to detection of the trailing product item by sensors on the paddle follower, to cause the paddle follower to move synchronously with the magazine. 
     
     
       15. A method of loading product into a magazine, comprising:
 advancing product in the magazine into a consuming device; 
 advancing a paddle follower to track a trailing product item in the magazine; 
 applying sufficient pressure against the trailing product item, with the paddle follower, to keep the trailing product item upright and leaning in a direction of product movement; 
 tracking movement of the paddle follower with a first encoder; 
 tracking movement of the magazine with a second encoder; 
 advancing the paddle follower synchronously with the second encoder as product is consumed; 
 moving an EOAT (end of arm tool), carrying additional product to be loaded into the magazine, synchronously with the paddle follower according to the first encoder prior to retraction of the paddle follower; 
 retracting the paddle follower from the trailing product item; 
 moving the EOAT synchronously with the magazine according to the second encoder after retraction of the paddle follower; 
 loading the additional product into the magazine with the EOAT; and 
 pushing on a new trailing product item by advancing the paddle follower to contact the new trailing product item, and by elevating the EOAT to contact only an upper portion of the product loaded to the magazine to thereby tilt product delivered to the magazine to an angle to match product already in the magazine. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , additionally comprising sensing the new trailing product item with at least one sensor carried by the paddle follower and in response switching the paddle follower to a mode of operation wherein the paddle follower moves in response to the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , additionally comprising moving, using the EOAT, a case originally containing the product loaded to the magazine to a waste receiving area. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , additionally comprising switching the paddle follower from a first mode, wherein the paddle follower is advanced until contact is made by a sensor on the paddle follower, to a second mode, wherein the paddle follower advances synchronously with the second encoder tracking movement of the magazine, wherein the mode switch is made upon contact is made by the sensor. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein loading the additional product into the magazine with the EOAT comprises moving the EOAT directly behind existing product on the magazine within an area between the paddle follower after retraction and the product on the magazine. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , additionally comprising synchronizing the paddle follower with the second encoder, in response to detection of the trailing product item by sensors on the paddle follower, to cause the paddle follower to move synchronously with the magazine.